Gotta go now

The senior couple handed me a Christmas card with jingle bells.

I said thank you in formality and turned towards the door as a hint for them to depart.

The husband said in a trembling voice ‘It’s for you and your family to enjoy some chocolates.’ and he grinned. The wife grinned too.

‘You don’t have to do that. I am just doing my job to provide services. I appreciate the gesture very much. Thank you again.’ I kept facing the door thinking I am running late for my next appointment.

They finally said good bye and snail waked to leave my office with big smiles hung on their sallow faces.

My day was finally over. I shut my pc and enjoying a cup of tea. The jingle bells are quite pretty, old fashioned and sweet. So I opened the card to read the Christmas wishes. A one hundred dollar note slipped out of the card. It all made sense then about their grins.

One hundred dollar is equivalent to one week of their rent, one full leg of premium smoke Christmas ham, two tanks of petrol of their little car, or a new pair of shoes to replace his long worn out ones.

My eyes welled up for their generosity, but more for my insensitivity in rushing them out of the door.